Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the packets including a plurality of data packets which are capable of carrying data over the network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: selecting a window size which limits the amount of outstanding data, outstanding data being data that has been sent in a data packet from the sending endnode but has not yet been acknowledged by the receiving endnode; selecting a metering interval which limits the rate at which data packets are placed on the network; and placing packets on the network for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at times which are determined in response to the window size and the metering interval.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a window size comprises the steps of: measuring packet throughput from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at a plurality of different window sizes; and selecting the smallest window size at which the measured packet throughput is greatest.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of selecting the window size comprises determining an excessive window size at which throughput no longer increases.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a metering interval comprises the steps of: measuring interpacket gaps between packets arriving at an endnode; and determining the metering interval of the sending endnode based on the measured interpacket gaps.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining the metering interval comprises determining an average interpacket gap time for packets received at the receiving endnode.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending a packet from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode containing a new average interpacket gap time in response to a change in the average interpacket gap time.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of multiplexing a plurality of logical connections over a single transport session.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing packets on the network for transmission comprises the step of using packets that have a network-layer-independent internal format to generate packets that have a format which is tailored to a predetermined network layer.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generated packets have a format that is tailored to a network layer selected from the group consisting of IP, IPX, and ATM network layers.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of filling a single data packet with data from a plurality of connections.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of a data packet by the receiving endnode and also in response to an occurrence of an acknowledgment update event.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the acknowledgment update event is selected from the group of events consisting of: the passage of at least an acknowledgment update time interval amount of time since the most recent sending of an acknowledgment by the receiving endnode, and the receipt of at least an acknowledgment update packet count number of packets at the receiving endnode since the most recent sending of an acknowledgment by the receiving endnode.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending a packet containing the acknowledgment update packet count from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode in response to receiving notice of a change in the window size of the sending endnode.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending a plurality of acknowledgments in one packet from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode to acknowledge receipt by the receiving endnode of a corresponding plurality of data packets.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment in a second data packet from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of a first data packet by the receiving endnode.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of receiving at the sending endnode an address change packet which specifies a new address for the receiving endnode, the step of placing packets on the network further comprising placing a data packet on the network for transmission to the new address.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of validating the address change packet prior to placing a data packet on the network for transmission to the new address.
18. A method of controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the packets including a plurality of data packets which are capable of carrying data over the network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: dynamically selecting a preferred window size which limits the amount of outstanding data by measuring packet throughput from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode and determining the preferred window size based on the measured packet throughput, outstanding data being data that has been sent in a data packet from the sending endnode but has not yet been acknowledged by the receiving endnode; and placing packets on the network for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode such that the window size is an upper bound on the number of unacknowledged packets.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of placing packets on the network for transmission comprises the step of using packets that have a network-layer-independent internal format to generate packets that have a format which is tailored to a predetermined network layer.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of a data packet by the receiving endnode and also in response to an occurrence of an acknowledgment update event.
21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment in a second data packet from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of a first data packet by the receiving endnode.
22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the computer-implemented step of receiving at the sending endnode an address change packet which specifies a new address for the receiving endnode, the step of placing packets on the network further comprising placing a data packet on the network for transmission to the new address.
23. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of dynamically selecting a preferred window size further comprises the computer-implemented steps of: successively increasing a current window size and then measuring the packet throughput associated with the current window size until a maximum associated throughput is identified; and then selecting as the preferred window size the smallest window size with which the maximum packet throughput is associated.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the computer-implemented step of selecting a metering interval which limits the rate at which data packets are placed on the network during the placing step.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of selecting a metering interval comprises the steps of: measuring interpacket gaps between packets arriving at an endnode; determining the metering interval of the sending endnode based on the measured interpacket gaps.
26. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of dynamically selecting a preferred window size further comprises the computer-implemented steps of: designating an initial window size as a current window size; installing the current window size as an upper bound on the number of unacknowledged packets; measuring packet throughput from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode after the installing step; determining whether the measured throughput associated with the current window size is no greater than a measured throughput associated with a previous window size; and choosing a subsequent action based on the outcome of the determining step, wherein the subsequent action comprises selecting a previous window size as the preferred window size if the measured throughput associated with the current window size is no greater than the measured throughput associated with that previous window size, and the subsequent action otherwise comprises replacing the current window size with a designated larger window size and then repeating the installing, measuring, determining, and choosing steps.
27. A method of controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: associating a plurality of logical connections with a single transport session; placing a packet on the network as part of the single transport session for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode; and selecting a metering interval which limits the rate at which packets are placed on the network and wherein the placing step places packets on the network for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at times which are determined in response to metering interval.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the packet carries information for a plurality of connections.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the packet is a data packet carrying data for a plurality of connections.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the packet is a control packet carrying control information for a plurality of connections.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein the packet carries both data and control information, and provides carrying capability for a plurality of connections.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the packets carries information for a plurality of connections.
33. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of placing the data packet on the network for transmission comprises the step of using a data packet that has a network-layer-independent internal format to generate a packet that has a format which is tailored to a predetermined network layer.
34. The method of claim 27, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of the data packet by the receiving endnode and also in response to an occurrence of an acknowledgment update event.
35. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 34.
36. The method of claim 27, further comprising the computer-implemented step of sending an acknowledgment in a second data packet from the receiving endnode to the sending endnode in response to receipt of a first data packet by the receiving endnode.
37. The method of claim 27, further comprising the computer-implemented step of receiving at the sending endnode an address change packet which specifies a new address for the receiving endnode, the step of placing packets on the network further comprising placing a data packet on the network for transmission to the new address.
38. A computer storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which will cause at least a portion of a computer system to perform method steps for controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the packets including a plurality of data packets which are capable of carrying data over the network, the method steps comprising the steps of claim 1.
39. The storage medium of claim 38, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 2.
40. The storage medium of claim 38, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 4.
41. The storage medium of claim 38, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 6.
42. The storage medium of claim 38, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 12.
43. A computer storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which will cause at least a portion of a computer system to perform method steps for controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the packets including a plurality of data packets which are capable of carrying data over the network, the method steps comprising the steps of claim 18.
44. The storage medium of claim 43, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 19.
45. The storage medium of claim 43, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 20.
46. The storage medium of claim 43, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 26.
47. A computer storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which will cause at least a portion of a computer system to perform method steps for controlling the transmission of packets over a computer network between a sending endnode and a receiving endnode on the network, the method steps comprising the steps of claim 27.
48. The storage medium of claim 47, wherein the method steps comprise the steps of claim 28.
49. A system for transmitting data packets, comprising: a computer network including a sending endnode and a receiving endnode; means for selecting a window size which limits the amount of outstanding data, outstanding data being data that has been sent in a data packet from the sending endnode but has not yet been acknowledged by the receiving endnode; means for selecting a metering interval which limits the rate at which data packets are placed for transmission; and means for placing packets for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at times which are determined in response to the window size and the metering interval.
50. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for selecting a window size comprises: means for measuring packet throughput from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at a plurality of different window sizes; and means for selecting the smallest window size at which the measured packet throughput is greatest.
51. The system of claim 49, wherein the means for selecting a metering interval comprises: means for measuring interpacket gaps between packets arriving at an endnode; and means for determining the metering interval of the sending endnode based on the measured interpacket gaps.
52. A system for transmitting data packets, comprising: a computer network including a sending endnode and a receiving endnode; means for dynamically selecting a preferred window size which limits the amount of outstanding data by measuring packet throughput from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode and determining the preferred window size based on the measured packet throughput, outstanding data being data that has been sent in a data packet from the sending endnode but has not yet been acknowledged by the receiving endnode; and means for placing packets for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode such that the window size is an upper bound on the number of unacknowledged packets.
53. A system for transmitting data packets, comprising: a computer network including a sending endnode and a receiving endnode; means for associating a plurality of logical connections with a single transport session; means for placing a packet for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode over at least one of the connections during the session; and means for selecting a metering interval which limits the rate at which packets are placed on the network, and wherein the placing means places packets on the network for transmission from the sending endnode to the receiving endnode at times which are determined in response to metering interval.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
Unknown
August 15, 2000
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